Help Solutions for 16GB AT&T Limit

[consultant]

After carefully reading reviews between Samsung S3 and HTC One X I was excited to get the One X due to:

- Better looking interface (Sense)
- Better screen in bright light
- Auto text-wrap when zooming on web pages
- Nicer build/feel

Then come to find out AT&T only offers 16GB version! Argh! Looking at my iPhone 4, I'm using just over 16GB of storage for audio alone! (I have a large music library). I thought maybe the S3 would be okay, but I've ready horror stories about battery life, like One X, so I figure if S3 doesn't have better battery life, I really need to see about getting around the 16GB limit and get the phone of my choice.

If I can't change carriers, I'm thinking the only solution is to get the International Version and give up 4G LTE capability which I don't need as I'm okay with 3G speeds, then renew my contract with a phone from AT&T that I can get the most profit from reselling to make up for buying the International HOX. Swap the SIM card and done?

I know other solutions might be:

- Compress the audio files and don't sync songs I rarely listen too. I'm an audiophile. While my library isn't 256-320kbps files, they are very high quality. I tend to use m4a as it has better compression anyway.

- Move songs to cloud. This means I would need an unlimited data plan and would not be able to play songs if I didn't have a 3G or WiFi connection. Not a good option.

Can't believe this powerful of a new phone only comes in 16GB (on AT&T) Completely PATHETIC.

 

[GalaxyNexus]

After carefully reading reviews between Samsung S3 and HTC One X I was excited to get the One X due to:

- Better looking interface (Sense)
- Better screen in bright light
- Auto text-wrap when zooming on web pages
- Nicer build/feel

Then come to find out AT&T only offers 16GB version! Argh! Looking at my iPhone 4, I'm using just over 16GB of storage for audio alone! (I have a large music library). I thought maybe the S3 would be okay, but I've ready horror stories about battery life, like One X, so I figure if S3 doesn't have better battery life, I really need to see about getting around the 16GB limit and get the phone of my choice.

If I can't change carriers, I'm thinking the only solution is to get the International Version and give up 4G LTE capability which I don't need as I'm okay with 3G speeds, then renew my contract with a phone from AT&T that I can get the most profit from reselling to make up for buying the International HOX. Swap the SIM card and done?

I know other solutions might be:

- Compress the audio files and don't sync songs I rarely listen too. I'm an audiophile. While my library isn't 256-320kbps files, they are very high quality. I tend to use m4a as it has better compression anyway.

- Move songs to cloud. This means I would need an unlimited data plan and would not be able to play songs if I didn't have a 3G or WiFi connection. Not a good option.

Can't believe this powerful of a new phone only comes in 16GB (on AT&T) Completely PATHETIC.

Seems like your only solution would be the cloud. That's unfortunate.

 

[El Presidente]

it's actually only circa 9GB

You lose about a gig for the file system, 2 for the ROM itself and a further 2 gig for apps.

You do get 25GB of dropbox storage though of that helps. There's also Play Music for streaming stuff (which isn't a great option as you say)

 

[prakhardeep]

If you don't need 4G then international version will be a good choice.

Then you can put your frequently accessible material on phone and one you rarely access on cloud.

 

[jasonr803]

or do what i do, i just keep a ipod nano in my pocket to keep all my music on.

 

[BigCiX]

I was fortunate to receive 50 gigs of free space through Box.net because I had an LG device at the time.

 

[prakhardeep]

or do what i do, i just keep a ipod nano in my pocket to keep all my music on.

That is the perfect way.

I keep an iPod touch 4G for the same.

This also saves me from using my phone for music in the car.

 

[Rusty]

Or just use Google Music so your stuff is kept off the phone.

 

[consultant]

Without an unlimited data plan, won't using Google Play possibly get expensive due to data usage charges?

Is the International version not capable of AT&T 4G LTE because it lacks the physical hardware, or is it a limitation of the ROM and there may be a possibility of using 4G on AT&T (or another carrier) sometime in the future with the Intl version?

 

[Rusty]

Modem doesn't handle it, that's why one is Tegra and one is Snapdragon.

 

[El Presidente]

You wouldn't get 4G, but as AT&T use 850 & 1,900, 3G & HSDPA should work.

 

[romy134]

Yes, I realllllllly don't know how they let this slide. 16 GB but only 9 usable. no recoverable battery, no sd card. I love HTC but I just don't get it. thats why the SG3 is kicking its butt.

 

[ackliph]

Switch to Straight Talk so you can use the Unlimited Data plan to download your legally acquired songs when you need them.

 

[danyfra]

Yes, I realllllllly don't know how they let this slide. 16 GB but only 9 usable. no recoverable battery, no sd card. I love HTC but I just don't get it. thats why the SG3 is kicking its butt.

Not sure what it's worth, but when I went to AT&T store for my One X, I was talking with the sale guys, and told him I would have love the 32Gb instead of just the 16Gb.
He replied saying that not a lot of people actually get 32Gb or more phones.
So I don't know if that was just BS or true, would be curious to see numbers, like on the iphone for ex, to get an idea.

Now I just read this morning T mobile will start offering a real Unlimited data plan starting september... didn't read all the details, don't know if this could help in your case.

Personnaly, I'm using Google play (uploaded like 16+Gb) when I can grab wifi (home or hotspot), sometimes when on 4G. I also have about 1Gb of music stored on my phone for the rest of the time. Works for me this way...

 

[jasonr803]

honestly 16gb is a good bit of storage. i mean, computers such as chromebooks come with a 16gb ssd drive. its not really meant to store your entire library onto it, or be a phone photographer. i keep a little bit of music on mine, such as when im running or at the gym or something but nothing crazy. mainly i just stream a radio station. yea i guess you could go crazy and load it with apps and stuff like that but who really uses all of those anyway? like mentioned above, try using the google play (i have not done this yet).

 

[techguy21]

Not sure what it's worth, but when I went to AT&T store for my One X, I was talking with the sale guys, and told him I would have love the 32Gb instead of just the 16Gb.
He replied saying that not a lot of people actually get 32Gb or more phones...

That's because most phones have a microSD slot and they want $100 more for 32GB phones when a 16-32GB card is only about $25.